Well done, you made the correct decision.
Here are some points that you need to consider. You should have included all of these in your reflective activity.
- You have done the right thing in recognising the problem and speaking to your manager to identify how to catch up and better manage your case recording in future. You made a mistake when you let several months pass without inputting any case information. You should address the situation immediately.
- Recording is a crucial part of daily social work practice and will take up a substantial amount of your time. Good records are an essential tool for you to reflect on your ongoing work with people and plan future work. When shared with the person whose file it is they encourage transparency.
- You should revisit the SSSC Code of Practice for Social Service Workers. You are expected to get help if you do not feel able or adequately prepared to carry out any aspect of your work. First line managers have a key role in assuring the quality of practice. Your manager knows he has a duty to support you and to develop your skills.
- As a social service worker you must be accountable for the quality of your work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills. This includes maintaining clear and accurate records as required using established procedures.
- While it can seem easier to keep handwritten notes, you would find there are many advantages to electronic record keeping.
- As well as support from your manager to manage your workload, you should seek out useful sources of guidance which can help you, for example, the Social Work Inspection Agency Practice Guide, On the record – getting it right: Effective management of social work recording (2010).
- Good recording forms the basis of an accurate up to date record of work, which is regularly reviewed and summarised. Records should be drawn up in partnership with the person whose record it is and their views on it and information on the permissions given for details to be recorded should be included. Accuracy in case recording is of central importance.
- As a social service worker, you must act in a way that demonstrates you are trustworthy and reliable. It is through your actions you earn the trust of colleagues, people who use services and the wider community.
- Had you not done the right thing, it could have called into question your suitability to be a social work professional and an investigation by your employer could have resulted in disciplinary action.
When you realised you were struggling to manage your workload and were falling behind with case recording, the right thing to do was to speak to your manager to find out how to catch up and better manage in future. You can find out why it was the right thing to do here
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